Starting a Band (blues, jazz, metal, rock, genre)

AsherM · 02-18-2008, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo©

My brother, 2 friends and I also want to start a band. We got 3 guitarists (still figuring out if we need bass) and a drummer. The 3 guitarists take lessons at the same guitar teacher and the drummer has a pro drum set and his Dad is very good at the drums. My word of advice for you is go for it. If you need to get more people or kick someone out later, thats later. Now or never.

Thanks, I do plan to go for it. I've been wanting to make music for a long time. I don't plan to kick out the current "members" since we're long time best friends and we all share a passion for music. Even if one of us has a really slow learning curb with our instrument the others will be patient and supportive until he finds his niche. Additional members who come along we might be willing to kick out though.

Isn't it hard composing music for 3 guitars?

ghostonstage135 · 02-18-2008, 09:50 PM

If you want to focus on the live performance then my personal preference is this: If you're the main vocalist give up the guitar and focus on singing. My personal thought is that a singer that can run around with a mic in hand going from one end of the stage to the other and somone that is just mobile can bring more energy to the stage than somone stuck behind a mic stand with a guitar. Don't get me wrong, I've seen it done, just the majority of the time it's better when the singer can be mobile. Also since you're just now learning you would be so focused on getting chords right you would probably look awkward standing behind the stand staring at the neck of the guitar. That is painful to watch...

AsherM · 02-18-2008, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostonstage135

If you want to focus on the live performance then my personal preference is this: If you're the main vocalist give up the guitar and focus on singing. My personal thought is that a singer that can run around with a mic in hand going from one end of the stage to the other and somone that is just mobile can bring more energy to the stage than somone stuck behind a mic stand with a guitar. Don't get me wrong, I've seen it done, just the majority of the time it's better when the singer can be mobile. Also since you're just now learning you would be so focused on getting chords right you would probably look awkward standing behind the stand staring at the neck of the guitar. That is painful to watch...

Lol yeah dude, it'll be a few years before I do anything in public. I'd rather give up lead vocals thn guitar though. I'm a good singer, so if I can train to the point where the notes come naturally to me and I don't have to stare at my guitar, I'll do both. It is a very real possibility that I might have to consider forfeiting one role for the other.

Thank you all for the advice.

ghostonstage135 · 02-18-2008, 10:19 PM

If you do have a singer who only has a mic in his hand he better be a badass and full of energy. Otherwise it's just a waste.

AsherM · 02-19-2008, 06:43 PM

Then I'm better off with a guitar, singing or not. I'm mellow, and wouldn't bring much energy to a stage singing alone.

An additional question: How hard is it to sing while drumming?

Comus · 02-19-2008, 07:47 PM

Depends on if you're wanting a simple beat for drums or some insane playing.

Halfa · 02-19-2008, 07:51 PM

make the drummer learn jazz and heavy metal drums
make the basist learn jazz and classical bass
and you urself learn blues and rock guitar...possibly jazz

why jazz so much?
cuz good jazz players are friggin gnar
good rock players are typically....eh.....
and for bass...he's gotta know some classical stuff. i mean...lookit the bassist for The Who!

Blain · 02-20-2008, 09:22 PM

Or, you could practice until you become solid at everything so you can acctually be a good player. Jazz, metal, blues and rock aren't the only genres there is, so don't limit yourself.

AsherM · 02-20-2008, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comus

Depends on if you're wanting a simple beat for drums or some insane playing.

Personally I'd want a steady beat with the occasional touch like the stylized drumroll, however it is not my instrument. I'll have to ask our drummer-to-be what sound he's going for next time I get to talk with him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blain

Or, you could practice until you become solid at everything so you can acctually be a good player. Jazz, metal, blues and rock aren't the only genres there is, so don't limit yourself.

Actually... I once made a list of every style I'd like to be able to play. I came up with stuff like light rock, funk rock, punk rock, grunge rock... something I noticed is every genre I came up with ends with "rock". However metal seems difficult so I should eventually try to learn that for technical purposes, and of course I'm trying my hand at jazz right now since its not as hard to play. Country's supposed to be fairly easy but I dislike most country songs.

Halfa · 02-20-2008, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blain

Or, you could practice until you become solid at everything so you can acctually be a good player. Jazz, metal, blues and rock aren't the only genres there is, so don't limit yourself.

i was just talking in terms of a general starting point. what ur talking about is what i'm trying to do right now, but you probably wanna start somewhere and have a point of focus as to what you try to learn. if you spread urself too thin too fast it'll take a lot longer to learn everything.

02-19-2008, 07:51 PM	#17 (permalink)
Halfa Allman Brothers Obsessor Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: The Whipping Post Posts: 260	make the drummer learn jazz and heavy metal drums make the basist learn jazz and classical bass and you urself learn blues and rock guitar...possibly jazz why jazz so much? cuz good jazz players are friggin gnar good rock players are typically....eh..... and for bass...he's gotta know some classical stuff. i mean...lookit the bassist for The Who! __________________ Check it out: www.myspace.com/sdotldotidotpdot Watch your step.

02-18-2008, 09:50 PM	#12 (permalink)
ghostonstage135 Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: TX Posts: 89	If you want to focus on the live performance then my personal preference is this: If you're the main vocalist give up the guitar and focus on singing. My personal thought is that a singer that can run around with a mic in hand going from one end of the stage to the other and somone that is just mobile can bring more energy to the stage than somone stuck behind a mic stand with a guitar. Don't get me wrong, I've seen it done, just the majority of the time it's better when the singer can be mobile. Also since you're just now learning you would be so focused on getting chords right you would probably look awkward standing behind the stand staring at the neck of the guitar. That is painful to watch...

02-18-2008, 10:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
ghostonstage135 Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: TX Posts: 89	If you do have a singer who only has a mic in his hand he better be a badass and full of energy. Otherwise it's just a waste.

02-19-2008, 06:43 PM	#15 (permalink)
AsherM Music Addict Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 53	Then I'm better off with a guitar, singing or not. I'm mellow, and wouldn't bring much energy to a stage singing alone. An additional question: How hard is it to sing while drumming?

02-20-2008, 09:22 PM	#18 (permalink)
Blain w0rd Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Suva, Fiji Posts: 1,034	Or, you could practice until you become solid at everything so you can acctually be a good player. Jazz, metal, blues and rock aren't the only genres there is, so don't limit yourself.